The next morning, Astra rose up at the crack of dawn and let murmur a comfy yawn, before snapping awake and hurriedly rushing to clean himself up. The boy practically tripped over himself in his excitement. He brushed his teeth, splashed his soapy hair in the shower, then vigorously shook his body in the same manner that dogs like Meatball did to dry themselves when sopping wet.

  Normally he wasn’t in such a rush, but Astra couldn’t help it. He didn’t want to waste a single moment of his time, for there was a great big city just waiting to be explored! Indeed, curiosity oft encouraged even the timidest of children to dart around in a blur of whimsical energy, and such held true for Astra now as he barreled out the door and into the living room where his groggy-eyed hostess, Caroline, was fixing herself a much needed cup of toffee coffee.

  “Good morning!” Astra loudly said, to which Caroline then anxiously turned around and put her finger to the boy’s lips, shushing him.

  “Oof, now aren’t you a ball of sunshine! Glad to see it Astra, but let’s keep it down a bit, okay?” she replied. “The kids are still sleeping and my hubby’s exhausted from working security at the gates. Last thing we need on our hands is our twin terrors waking up and screaming their heads off. They get grouchy without their beauty sleep.”

  Astra was confused. Were kids not supposed to wake up at this time? He couldn’t imagine how they got anything done with such a late start.

  Aunt Caroline chuckled as if she could read Astra’s mind. “Here in the city, we don’t have much to do in the morning besides filling our bellies and getting ready for the day. The kids take a carriage to their kindergarten in a few hours and the rest of us adults usually start our jobs around noon.”

  “Kindergarten?” Astra repeated slowly, as he had never heard the word before.

  “Yep! It’s like school, though really it’s more a daycare meant to keep them busy until they’re old enough to learn the real hard stuff.”

  School… another concept foreign to Astra, although he had heard of it before. Grandma Belle would rant about it a lot whenever he visited. “Bah, what’s so good about school? Everything ya need to learn in life‘s right here,” she’d grumble with a click of her tongue. Apparently the day Caroline discovered she was Starblessed, a couple of noble officials came to recruit her, saying that they’d give her all the resources she’d need to excel in Boulderbrigg and that they’d also sponsor her enrollment into the nation’s best school. In the end she accepted, and so at the age of ten years old, just like Astra was now, she left the countryside and made a new life for herself here.

  School was something Astra assumed would always be out of reach. There were too few kids around his home so there was never any need to build one. Everything Astra learned came from his parents, and for that he was thankful. Edith and Henry did their best, despite their limited knowledge, to ensure that their darling boy grew up no lesser than those educated in the big cities.

  But sometimes, Astra wondered what attending school would be like. The thought of being cramped in a building wasn’t that appealing, but he did like the thought of making friends. He’d laugh and play, share his hobbies and get to know about theirs. He’d learn all about the world and the space beyond the starry sky while being surrounded by those he could truly be open with.

  “... Do you want to go to school, Astra?”

  Aunt Carolined smiled at him, and she slowly stooped low while resting her arms on her knees. There was a twinkle in her eye that seemed to recognize another just like her: someone who was curious, insatiable, and didn’t quite fit in with the rest. Caroline too once experienced the same feeling, so maybe that was why she sensed, despite how the boy tried to hide it, that gnawing ache so common in those still yet to aspire on a path only they would tread.

  Every person was unique, and Caroline’s dreams weren’t necessarily the same as Astra’s. Nonetheless she sympathized with his plight and thus gave him a little nudge.

  “I know how difficult it is, leaving all that you knew behind,” she said to him. “I was terrified too when I was your age! But once you settle in, school really isn’t scary at all. You’ll learn so much, meet people who’ll become lifelong friends, and in time maybe discover a career fit just right for you. I sure didn’t imagine I’d become a researcher at the Astral Tower, but look at me now!”

  Astra laughed, for Aunt Caroline with her bubbly character definitely didn’t match the image of a scholar in his head.

  “So if you want to go, then I’ll be more than happy to help,” she continued. “Lot of places around here, the good ones at least, require a letter of recommendation… which this ol’ gal of yours is more than capable of writing.”

  “That’s mighty kind of ya, miss, but aren’t those fancy schools expensive?”

  “They can be, but if you do well and get good grades, it’s possible to get a scholarship. That means they’ll give you money to study there. My doors are always open to you, too, so you won’t have to pay to live in the dorms.”

  “Really?” Everything honestly sounded a bit too good to be true, but Astra knew Aunt Caroline was no liar, and when she gave a promise she’d see through it no matter what. It was a great opportunity. If Astra begged his parents, he had no doubt that they’d support him, even if it made them lonely.

  And yet, the boy still felt a bit apprehensive. Was this the answer he sought? It sure sounded grander than being a farmer like his parents, and some parts of Caroline’s proposal did make his heart soar like this was the right direction, but…

  Astra could never forget it, the connection between him and those bright twinkling lights above. Attending school in Boulderbrigg, although alluring, just didn’t fit in place right. The boy wanted to go far, even farther.

  He wanted to see that which he had never seen, to run where the brave dared not go. The universe, unlimitedly vast in its breadth, and the flowing space that seemed so close yet was just out of grasp… he wanted to go there and chase after the unreachable stars.

  Thus did the boy’s search for his quest continue ever onward.

  “I’ll think about it, but thank you for the offer!” he said to Caroline, and perhaps in his tone she noticed that pushing any more would yield little result. The pointy-hatted woman sighed, a bit disappointed, but nonetheless she respected Astra’s decision.

  “If you ever change your mind, just give me a holler!” Caroline stood back up and finished the rest of her coffee, before moseying toward the door and opening it, letting the fresh morning breeze enter the house. “I promised to take you around, so let’s get a move on before the streets fill up. Who knows? Maybe visitin’ some places will change your mind!”

  Astra excitedly nodded and followed her outside. It was much quieter now since most people were still asleep, so the two had no problem at all walking on foot, though it did take some time. The capital was massive with its branching cliffs and ridges, and whilst seemingly random at first there was a distinct pattern in how the buildings were arranged. Being in the middle of a gorge and two mountains, Boulderbrigg had, of course, many boulders, and so navigation involved using many of the larger ones as landmarks, which were hollowed out to make space for government offices.

  Compared to the fields back at the farm, the capital was very red. Its roads were paved red and most buildings used red brick. Aunt Caroline said the reason for this was because minerals mined from the mountains had a natural hue to them, and the green outfits commonly seen worn by the capital’s citizens were colored with dye made from crushing pinestalks found in the meadows just outside the gates. Green and red: nature and earth. The people of Tauramere prided this combination, for it represented harmony and strength in togetherness.

  Originally there wasn’t a gorge here at all, or so Aunt Caroline proclaimed. The twin mountains to their side were originally one, but that changed when the progenitor of the Taurus people—Oxbane the Earthquaker—split the land in half. From the Bull Constellation’s sundering, a vein of precious ores and stones were discovered, and so his descendants have settled here, using their strength to mine what would become their weapons, and using those weapons they hunted the beasts of the grassland, whose bones would become their armor.

  There was no greater example of the nation’s prosperity than Castle Tauramere, its ruby red walls serving as the base for a giant, towering spire that made Astra feel like a little ant in comparison. It was the single most luxurious, and shiny, structure he had ever seen in his life; and so it was that the path leading to its arched entrance became their first destination. Of course the two weren’t actually allowed inside. There was a public area a little ways out that served as a tourist point for visitors, which wasn’t quite as cool but Astra appreciated the chance to see the castle regardless.

  After that, Aunt Caroline took him to a few more of her favorite spots, such as the Astral Tower where the scholars and Starblessed of Boulderbrigg conducted their research on how to utilize the Constellations’ power. It was the second largest building in the capital, beaten only by the castle, and Astra found it neat how unlike the other square-like buildings this one was pretty much just a really, really tall pillar.

  Something surprising to the boy was that the Astral Tower wasn’t only affiliated with Tauramere. They studied the Bull Constellation’s blessing, yes, but they also had branches in nations ruled by other heavenly deities, like the goat of Capricorn and the ram of Aries. The Astral Tower was an independent organization that swore loyalty to no one and benefited everyone.

  “If you’re looking to make a difference, joining the Tower’s a good choice,” she said proudly. “Here you won’t have to deal with anything dangerous like the knights must. They do require you to study a lot though, which takes years and years and… you get the idea. I think I was twenty-seven when I finally got my masters. Phew, now that was a struggle!”

  Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

  For someone trying to convince Astra, she sure wasn’t doing a good job of it.

  After that, they visited a few more places, ate some good food, then ended their field trip at a clifftop that overlooked the entire city. It was getting darker out, and Astra spent the day’s final moments while watching the blue skies above slowly transition to a vivid amber haze.

  Astra had fun. It was the most fun he had in a long while, and while his mind hadn’t changed, he was thankful to Aunt Caroline and appreciated that she used her free time to show him around like this. Sadly, the two couldn’t stay out here forever, and they eventually returned back to her house where Astra’s parents were waiting for him.

  “Had a good time, stardew?” Papa Henry said, patting his shoulder.

  Of course, Astra replied with a big wide grin. “Sure did! I think I’ll remember today fer the rest of my life.”

  Mama Edith fussed over him and wiped the boy’s face with a clean towel. “Don’t go tuckerin’ out just yet. We still have the farmer’s market tomorrow! Your paw’s snagged a good spot near the busy rush so we’ll get over there early and give these city slickers a taste o’ country goodness.”

  That’s right! Astra had almost forgotten the reason they came to Boulderbrigg in the first place. While touring the capital was an amazing experience, being able to watch his father at work also excited the young boy. The family had paid special attention to this year’s harvest, with Henry specially breeding a new melon variety unique to their fields, so this was the chance to get a first-hand look at the people’s reaction.

  For now though, Astra was dead tired. Exhaustion finally caught up to him after exploring so much, and so with a stretch of his arms and a long, trailing yawn, he wrapped himself snug in bed and then drifted back to sleep.

  The next morning was much more hectic than Astra’s first arrival here. Edith and Henry practically flung their son out of his blankets whilst it was still dark out, and they rushed him through his daily grooming before loading him up on a cart and then dashing their way to the city’s main square, where immediately they grabbed some hammers, nails, and wooden boards. Their stall was assembled so quickly that Astra hadn’t even fully roused himself awake yet.

  “Nice, got ‘em done in record time!” Henry said, placing each of their melons in homemade baskets. Mama Edith had spun over a hundred of them while they were still on the road. “Been a while since we set up a stand together, right hun?”

  “Not since Astra was born,” she huffed, setting a few poles down whilst raising the tent. “Speakin’ of which, you’re on cash-handling duty, stardew! Your paw and I will stick to grunt work while you talk with the customers. Think ya can handle it?”

  Astra confidently saluted his parents and stationed himself by their stand’s counter. “Yesiree, ma’am!”

  It was time to prove his capabilities as a proper entrepreneur. Raising crops and tilling the fields was just half a farmer’s duty—the other involved spreading your goods, getting yourself out there. Without a little showmanship it was easy to find oneself buried among countless other vendors, each vying for the customers’ attention. That was why Astra had developed a plan.

  When the first light came and the farmer’s market officially took off, the streets were soon overrun with tens of thousands of people trickling down the avenues. Just in Astra’s section alone there were a hundred other vendors each selling their own unique wares. Some opted to grill meat skewers over an open flame so that the scent would waft out and attract hungry people, while others hawked vegetables and fruits by putting on a performance, shouting and encouraging people to come over.

  Astra, meanwhile, chose to use a combination of everyone’s strategies. First he took a kvela melon and cut it into smaller wedges, revealing the bright, juicy, sweet blue fruit inside and putting it on display. That way customers knew what to expect when they bought one, and the color also helped lure them over as it stood out among all the reds and greens about.

  “Free samples! Get yer free samples over here!” Astra hollered, commencing the second part of his plan. Most stalls didn’t give out samples since they had a limited stock and didn’t want to risk wasting potential profit, but the boy thought differently. A little sacrifice had to be made in order to draw people in. This way, the customer would know for certain whether or not they liked the taste, which lessened the worry of buying an unfamiliar product. People often liked familiarity. Rather than taking a chance on something different, they ate what they were used to and what was guaranteed to satisfy them. That’s why samples helped bridge the gap between comfort and novelty.

  One of the additional benefits to this, as Astra meticulously devised, was that it’d form a line. Lines attracted attention. It made people curious, wondering the reason why so many were gathered in place. In an area with so many choices and varieties to choose from, it was natural that they would seek out what was popular, and according to some research Astra did earlier (by asking Aunt Caroline) he discovered the concept of ‘trends’, and that the natives of Boulderbrigg were surprisingly patient if it meant getting their hands on the latest craze. Lines represented desirability. In a market where goods quickly sold out and became scarce, it stoked their desire to claim what was seen as rare.

  “Today only! Get our farm’s famous prized kvela melons right here! Ya don’t want to miss out on this, folks. Once we’re out, we’re out for good.”

  In the end, Astra’s plan worked a bit too well. His poor family practically ran themselves ragged as they struggled to deal with the influx of customers. To make it fair they limited their melons to two per person, yet even still the line to their stand wrapped around all the way to the far end of the district, with the typical wait averaging about an hour. Papa Henry was confident in his crops and had brought a few extra crates just in case, but even those reserves were soon emptied.

  By the time it reached midday, Astra’s family had completely sold out, except for one the boy saved to share once the market ended.

  “Well gosh, Astra,” Henry said, taking a breather and wiping the sweat off his forehead. “I think you’re even better at this than your old man.”

  Mama Edith had, by this point, collapsed flat on her back and laid on the ground. “I ain’t ever seen a rush like that in all my years of sellin’, stardew. I think we made double our usual gains just today alone.”

  Astra lifted his head and raised his nose up in pride. He wasn’t sure whether or not his tricks would actually work, but today proved that he could hold his own even against veteran sellers like his parents.

  “Let’s start takin’ all this stuff down,” Henry began once he and Edith had recovered. “Don’t want to intrude on Caroline’s home for too long, so we’ll rest up for the evening and then head on home tomorrow.”

  Astra had expected this, but it still made him feel a bit sad that they had to leave the capital after only spending a few days here. He hadn’t even found the answer yet to what he wanted to become.

  A shame, though that’s just life he supposed. It wasn’t as if he’d never have the chance to come back anyway. Confirmation would take place in the fall and, like the other ten-year-olds, he’d take part in Boulderbrigg’s ceremony and see which Constellation he might attune with.

  And yet Astra couldn’t help but feel a bit disappointed. He really thought he’d find his calling here. Maybe Aunt Caroline was right, and he should be happy with attending a local school. It wasn’t exactly what he imagined, here at least, but… the boy didn’t know what else to do, where else to go.

  His destiny seemed already fixed, just another kid among millions fortunate enough to live a slow, comfortable life. Perhaps when Astra’d become an adult, he’d look back at these childish, naive dreams and laugh at how silly he was. Perhaps this ache in his chest would be no more than a distant memory.

  Astra sighed, and he cradled the last kvela melon in his hands. Might as well take a bite, a tasty reward for all his hard work today. He set the fruit on the counter and turned around to grab a plate, when suddenly… he heard a voice, and a strange chill crept down his spine.

  It was unfathomable, yet thrilling. It was vast and incomprehensibly boundless. The boy’s heart which all this time remained silent now thumped and thumped with a roar that set his blood on fire.

  “Oh dear, are you sold out already? I was quite looking forward to tasting the famed kvela myself, but it would seem fate has played a trick on me once again.”

  Astra turned around, and he was met with a lady whose hair was just like that of the night sky: long, flowing, the strands like silk and interweaving a painting of the glittering cosmos so high above. The lights of her eyes shone with a scatter of stardust and her smile held a twinkle of mischief, but though she appeared youthful there was a grace in how she portrayed herself, an agelessness and wisdom that surpassed even the boy’s grandparents—nay—everyone he had ever met in all his ten years of life.

  Was this what it was like to meet a noble, or even a queen? No. Astra quickly buried that thought, for although his chest swelled with a loftiness that threatened to quake his breaths, there was also a speck of something familiar, something he recognized.

  Yes, in those lone nights when he gazed out to the Stars and vowed to meet them, he felt exactly like this. A connection. A yearning that wished to be, regardless of the vast space between.

  “U-um,” Astra stuttered, his hands shaking uncontrollably in an effort to calm down. “You’re not late! Nope. There’s still… one more. You’re our very last customer.”

  The woman giggled in a way that reminded him of a lullaby, how her voice so effortlessly put those around her at ease, and she leaned forward before waving her hand and manifesting a large obsidian jewel out of thin air.

  “Well then aren’t I lucky?” she said, placing the jewel on the counter in exchange for the melon. Astra couldn’t even begin to comprehend just how valuable it was; the jewel was bigger than his fist. “I say that, but truth be told… I don’t believe in luck, only opportunities. Sometimes all we need is a little courage to seize it, don’t you think?”

  Astra didn’t know what else to do but nod.

  “Hehe, thank you for the lovely melon, child. I have a feeling it will be very delicious.”

  With that, the lady flicked her hand, and the melon disappeared. She twirled around and left just as quickly as she came, like a shooting comet whose trail would vanish in the blink of an eye.

  It was then that a horrible premonition came to Astra’s mind. He knew it, deep down in his heart. If he lost sight of her now then she’d never appear again.

  Before he could realize, the boy took off running. He didn’t know why. He didn’t what compelled him to do this. Henry and Edith said something to him, but their voices were but a fading echo compared to the pounding that thundered violently in his soul now. It demanded that Astra catch up to her, or else he’d regret it forever. He followed her away from the busy district, away from the lofty buildings and steeps, and he headed higher, to the highest point in all the capital. There he found himself atop the same cliff he visited with Aunt Caroline just a day before, this vantage where, in all its entirety, everyone and everything that made up this grand city called Boulderbrigg could be seen. And it was there that only the two of them now stood.

  “W-wait!” he shouted, to which the lady turned around, amused.

  “Yes?” she said with that ever mysterious smile.

  There were countless things Astra wanted to ask, each one scrambled in a chaotic, incoherent mess. Just what was he supposed to say? He felt really embarrassed now that his shame had caught up to him, yet right now none of that mattered. This was his chance. This was the opportunity to finally know.

  In the end, all he managed to utter was this, “Who are you?”

  The lady peered at him for a moment, her expression as inscrutable as the drifting nebula. Astra thought then that if he stared at her eyes for too long, he’d be swallowed whole by the boundless starry ocean tucked within.

  “That’s quite the vague question, but one very brave of you to ask” she said, before gently approaching Astra. The boy stood frozen there, unable to move a muscle, and so it was that he soon found his forehead victim to a playful poke of her finger. “My name is Selene. You could say that I’m a teacher.”